You know how rare this feature is, because I’ve only done it ONCE before! However, everyone seemed to enjoy my rambly thoughts on Duskwood (which should be releasing its final chapter soon-ish – I cannot wait!), so I figured I’d give this another shot.
*I have not been asked to talk about this game by the developers! I am sharing these views of my own accord.*
Mask of the Rose: a Fallen London romance is a visual novel about romance, mystery and redefining society after a fundamental change. It will release to console platforms as well as PC, Mac and Linux later this year, however, you can try your hand at a free demo via Steam at the moment.
Originally, the project went to kickstarter for funding, which I’ve sadly missed out on. I’ve enjoyed previous backed projects a lot, so I could have easily seen myself support this game, but nonetheless, I somehow came across the demo and gave it a shot.
A marvelous romance with a hint of murder. Lose your heart to a stolen city in this game of amorous intrigue! Seek love, for yourself or your friends. Help a murdered man find justice. And watch out for the bats.
I was unaware of the 2009 Fallen London game and the fanbase it already had, but the little demo I got to play through has me very intrigued about the original game and I can see myself checking it out as well. Basically, London has fallen into a crater in the midst of Earth. No one knows the bounds of the cavern, no one knows a way back up, everyone is trapped – and there’s a lot of bats! It’s such a fascinating world and here you are, collecting love stories from its inhabitants.
Why Do I Like It So Much?
- I’m generally a fan of story-based games and don’t mind if there’s a lot of text involved, but Mask of the Rose really combined some amazing visuals with the story and I was head over heels. I’ve learned a while ago that I’m quite superficial and don’t like to check out games that don’t appeal to me on an aesthetic level, but this one intrigued me from the get go.
- In only 1-2 chapters, you meet so many interesting characters. They definitely got me hooked with the demo, because they managed to have me sitting here wanting more – immediately!
- As a complete newbie to this world, I obviously had no frame of reference, but I enjoyed the mix activities. On the one hand, you get to play detective (always fun!), but you’re also a matchmaker for yourself and others. It might sound silly, but I adore uncovering other peoples relationships and bringing people together. Also, you don’t have to find a romantic match for yourself, if that’s not something you’re interested in!
- While I obviously didn’t have any background information on the characters, I quickly realized that Mr Pages is a fan favorite in terms of the Neaths new Masters, so I’m happy for all those people that he’s in the game. Still, I never felt lost or like I was lacking information. Instead, I felt myself getting eased into the story in a natural way.
- While options are fairly limited at the moment, I enjoyed the customization options for my own character!
Downsides?
- Since I only got a glimpse at the game for now, I can’t tell if there’s any bugs or storyline issues on the long run. The only downside that I can think of is that we have to wait until October/November 2022 for the actual release.
- I cannot comment on the price point of the full game. However, Fallen London is a free browser game.
I know this wasn’t a very in depth review, but I just wanted to communicate my excitement for the actual game to release. I’m such a sucker for games like it and I didn’t want to give away too much from the demo, since it’s obviously just a glimpse at what’s to come. If you’re interested in a playthrough, there are several that can be found on YouTube!
Life and Other Disasters 